Do pay monthly SIM only plans need a credit check?

Contract plans of 12 months or longer usually do. Every plan listed here is a 30-day rolling or pay as you go SIM. These are not credit agreements and are generally supplied without a hard credit search, though a provider may still carry out identity, address or fraud-prevention checks.

Can I keep my current mobile number?

Yes. Text PAC to 65075 from your existing phone, then give the code to your new provider when the SIM arrives. Your number transfers, normally within one working day.

What if I have poor credit or no credit history?

Rolling SIM only plans are paid in advance, so providers are not lending you anything. Bad credit, thin files, recent arrivals to the UK and under-18s in some cases are all accepted.

How do you make money?

When you click through to a provider and buy a SIM, we may receive a commission from that provider. It never changes the price you pay, and it never changes the order of the table — that is sorted by price and data only.

Will the SIM work in my phone?

Any unlocked handset works. If your phone is locked to a network, ask that network for a free unlock code before you switch. Most listed providers ship a triple-cut SIM and several offer eSIM.

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Roaming guide

Mobile Roaming in the UK & Abroad: What to Check

A practical guide to using your UK SIM overseas — how EU roaming works after Brexit, why your roaming data allowance is often lower than your UK allowance, what to check before you travel, and how to avoid a surprise bill. General guidance is separated from the provider-specific terms you must confirm on the provider's own site.

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What Mobile Roaming Is

Roaming simply means using your UK SIM on a foreign network when you travel. Your phone connects to a partner network abroad, and your calls, texts and data are routed back through your UK provider. It is what lets you use your phone the moment you land without buying a local SIM.

The catch is cost. When you roam, your provider pays the foreign network for your usage, and whether that cost is passed on to you depends on where you are and what your plan includes. The rules differ sharply between the EU and the rest of the world — and even within the EU, there are caps and fair-use limits to understand.

EU Roaming After Brexit

Before Brexit, UK providers were legally required to offer surcharge-free roaming across the EU and EEA — you used your normal UK allowance abroad at no extra cost. That legal guarantee ended with Brexit. UK providers are no longer obliged to include EU roaming, so whether you get it now depends entirely on your provider and plan.

In practice the market has split. Some providers still include EU roaming as part of the bundle; others charge a daily fee or require a roaming add-on whenever you travel. The plans featured on GetSIMSmart that list EU roaming include it as part of the bundle, but the terms are set by each provider and can change — always confirm the current position on the provider's site before you travel.

One rule that still applies across the EU: providers must apply an automatic spend cut-off, so roaming charges cannot run away completely without your knowledge. But that cap is a safety net, not a target — hitting it still means a real charge on your bill.

Fair Use and Roaming Data Caps

Even when EU roaming is included, you rarely get your full UK data allowance to use abroad. Providers apply a fair-use policy that caps how much data you can use at the bundled price while roaming. The cap is usually tied to the price of your plan — cheaper plans get a lower roaming allowance.

Once you pass the roaming cap you can keep using data, but the provider may charge extra per GB. Among the live plans on GetSIMSmart that list EU roaming, the included roaming allowances range from around 12GB up to 30GB or more, depending on the provider and plan. Calls and texts are usually treated more generously than data, but check the specifics.

Providers can also monitor your roaming pattern over a rolling period. If you consistently spend more time abroad than in the UK, and your roaming use exceeds your domestic use, the provider may contact you and start applying surcharges. Surcharge-free roaming is designed for occasional travel, not for living abroad on a UK SIM.

What to Check Before You Travel

Five things to confirm on your provider's site or app before you fly. These are provider-specific terms — the general principles above apply to most UK plans, but the exact figures vary.

Roaming inclusion	Whether your plan includes EU roaming at all, or charges a daily fee. This is set by the provider, not the network.
Roaming data cap	How much of your UK data allowance you can use abroad — it is often lower than your domestic allowance.
Covered destinations	Exactly which countries are included. "EU roaming" lists differ between providers and change over time.
Calls and texts	Whether UK calls and texts remain included while abroad, or are charged separately.
Out-of-allowance rates	The per-MB, per-minute and per-text cost once you pass the roaming cap.

Confirm inclusion

Check whether your plan includes EU roaming or charges a daily fee.

Note the data cap

Your roaming allowance is often lower than your UK data.

List your destinations

Confirm each country you will visit is on the covered list.

Outside the EU

Beyond the EU and EEA, surcharge-free roaming almost never applies — and the per-MB rates can be steep enough that a few minutes of browsing costs more than a meal.

Outside the EU and EEA, surcharge-free roaming almost never applies. Per-MB rates can be several pounds, so even light browsing can run up a large bill quickly.
Most UK providers apply an automatic spend cap or cut-off, but you should confirm yours is set before you fly — and know how to raise or lower it.
A local SIM or a travel eSIM is usually far cheaper for data outside Europe than roaming on your UK plan. Travel eSIMs are data-only, so keep your UK SIM active for calls and texts.
If you only need maps and messaging, free hotel and café Wi-Fi plus an offline map download before you leave can remove the need for mobile data entirely.

If your phone supports it, a travel eSIM is often the simplest way to get affordable data abroad. See our physical SIM vs eSIM guide to check whether your handset is eSIM-compatible.

Data Roaming Settings on Your Phone

Data roaming is switched off by default on most phones, so your handset will not use mobile data abroad until you turn it on. These steps help you control exactly what your phone does overseas.

Turn data roaming on	On iPhone: Settings → Mobile Data → Data Roaming. On Android: Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → Roaming. Your phone will not use mobile data abroad until this is on.
Set a spend cap	Most providers let you set a monthly cap in their app or website. Do this before you travel so a runaway app cannot run up charges.
Switch off background data	Some apps refresh or back up photos over mobile data. Restrict background data for anything non-essential while roaming.
Download before you go	Offline maps, playlists, podcasts and downloaded films use no roaming data. Load them on Wi-Fi before you leave the UK.

How GetSIMSmart Plans Handle Roaming

Several of the live plans on GetSIMSmart list EU roaming as part of the bundle, with included roaming allowances ranging from around 12GB up to 30GB or more. The roaming allowance, covered destinations and any out-of-allowance rates are set by each provider — we report what is listed but the terms can change, so confirm them on the provider's site before ordering.

If roaming matters to you, the help me choose tool can filter today's plans to those that include EU roaming. For matching a plan to how much data you actually use at home, see our SIM-only deals by data usage guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is EU roaming still free on UK SIMs after Brexit?

There is no longer a legal requirement for UK providers to include surcharge-free EU roaming, so it depends entirely on your provider and plan. Some still include it; others charge a daily fee or apply a roaming add-on. The plans featured on GetSIMSmart that list EU roaming include it as part of the bundle, but always confirm the current terms on the provider's site before you travel.

Why is my roaming data allowance lower than my UK allowance?

Even when EU roaming is included, providers apply a fair-use policy that caps how much of your domestic data you can use at the bundled price. The cap is usually based on the price of your plan — cheaper plans get a lower roaming allowance. Once you pass the cap you can keep using data, but the provider may charge extra per GB.

How much EU roaming data do the GetSIMSmart plans include?

Among the live plans that list EU roaming, the included roaming allowances range from 12GB up to 30GB or more, depending on the provider and plan. The exact figure for each plan is shown in its details — confirm it on the provider's site before ordering, as allowances can change.

Will I be charged for receiving calls and texts while roaming in the EU?

When EU roaming is included in your plan, you are not normally charged extra to receive calls or texts while in an included EU destination. Calling or texting back to the UK, and using data, draw on your allowance or the roaming cap. Check your provider's specific terms for the country you are visiting.

What happens if I spend more time abroad than at home?

Providers can monitor roaming use over a rolling period. If you spend more time abroad than in the UK and your roaming use exceeds your domestic use, the provider may contact you and start applying surcharges. Surcharge-free roaming is intended for occasional travel, not for living abroad on a UK SIM.

Do I need to do anything to my phone before I travel?

Yes. Turn data roaming on in your phone settings (it is off by default), confirm your provider's spend cap is set, and download any maps, music or films you want over Wi-Fi before you leave. If you are travelling outside the EU, consider a local SIM or travel eSIM for data instead of roaming on your UK plan.

For the full picture across every plan type, read our complete guide to the best SIM-only deals in the UK.

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Travel with the right plan, not a surprise bill.

Compare today's live plans — several include EU roaming as part of the bundle.

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